


First Encounter

by vizarding



Series: Gloves and Cigars [1]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Green Lantern (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Necrophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-18 13:57:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4708484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vizarding/pseuds/vizarding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time William Hand met Death, he'd instantly been infatuated. He'd been convinced his new boss was Death come to whisk him away to all his romantic dreams.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where the Blackest Night was put off for some time longer; Hal had stopped Atrocitious before he would traumatize William by crashing into his family— instead he was caught kissing corpses and ran away from home. Ending up in the DEO's morgue.

The first time he saw him, he was sure he saw Death itself. 

The end was coming to embrace him, gliding through the hallways in a cloud of smoke and fear; the living parted in his path. A handsome black skull dressed sharp and ready to stop his swooning heart; turn off the awful beating and dance him into the cold emptiness.

But Death did not come to him, it walked past the doorway to his work space and continued down the hall. So tempted to follow, yet tied to the corpse laying before him; it would be rude to deny it attention. Already so enticing and seductive, chest cavity beaconing his hands. 

Death would come to greet him soon, he was sure.

He did not dare ask anyone else if they had seen Death. He did not wish to speak to anyone, obviously; he was so uncomfortable that he had… co-workers. Horrid living, breathing, blinking people who interrupted his affair with his beloveds. They didn’t know how _treat_ a body, _romance_ it, _respect_ it. Care for it. But then no, no, he must not let his mind wander. It was good that others were here. If they were not here, he might be tempted. Even with the cameras. Oh, how unfair, they were all so beautiful and no one appreciated it as he. No one else deserves to touch the cold, grey cadavers laying on the slabs, but he. He was the only one worthy of seeing Death, obviously. 

Because of this reason, when Death appeared in a cloud of thick smoke yet again, descending the short steps to the DEO morgue and dressed as sharp and alluring and handsome as it had before to whisk William away, he was offended for Death to speak to those others _first_. They shook its hand! Spoke to it as if they knew it– like they were familiars! How dare they. Share paperwork. Why would Death be interested in those it has already danced with?

Why, Death, why do you ignore him? He wrung his apron between his bony hands, knuckles a fair share of white, even compared to his already pale complexion. 

Almost angry. 

No, definitely angry. 

But then. 

But then it turned its gaze to William. 

Bringing its dark cloud with it, the overwhelming stench of cigars descended upon even William’s dulled nostrils; it was almost enough to upset his numb sense of smell. “You must be the new guy.” A pause, inhaling deeply and letting smoke leak from between its teeth. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t really appreciate it when people stare, but I guess I can let you pass.“ 

The illusion was cracking and it was almost breaking his heart. 

This was not Death. 

But. But then what is this. Who is this. 

"I’m Director Bones; your boss. You identified the Macguffy case last week, right?” He’s speaking to him, but William is almost too busy drinking in the sight to notice. What a lovely skull; a burnt dark color, light cracks carved into the surface, and dark, empty caverns for sockets. He wanted to fall into the endless blackness; be lost in such a cold place. William was swooning still, even in the wake of disappointment. 

“Y-yes.” He stammered, finding his voice. He remembered the Macguffy woman. Poison in the blood stream had turned her insides black. Scooping out clunks of her, the coagulated blood had slicked between his fingers; her lips, her eyelashes, her open cavity. Overwhelmingly erotic, it had been too much for him. It was nice that he had been working late, alone. There was not much between himself and the bathroom. He’d had loved to– 

“Good work.” The skeleton inhaled deeply, smoke blowing from its nose holes. If only William could reach out and touch. He’d love to caress such a… stunning cranium. Kiss it. Drag his tongue along all the little crevices and cracks and– 

“Keep it up. We need quick identification and clean work like you provided.” 

The thick voice that seemed to echo within the skeleton’s chest kept snapping him from his fantasies. Suddenly William realized his thin hand was squeezed in a thick leather glove. Such a strong grip, one he hadn’t expected it. 

“Than– thank you,” he managed out but it was already leaving, taking its cloud with him. William stood starstruck, watching as it interacted briefly with one of the other wretched breathing bastards before leaving, hand twitching and rubbing his digits together, trying to keep the feeling. Analyze it. It spoke to him. Was it alive? He… he wondered about this, looking down to his palm; empty and dry, it groped the air. He wanted to know more. He wanted to TOUCH it. 

William Hand, while losing his chance to meet Death, was fascinated by the skull; even more, he was utterly bewitched .


End file.
